The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is expected to be at a complete standstill for 48 hours following a dispute between the rail operator and its staff.

DLR workers will walk out from 3.59am on Tuesday, November 3, to 3.58am on Thursday, November 5, after talks broke down between the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) and DLR-operator Keolis Amey Docklands (KAD).

• Also online: DLR strike to go ahead following vote from 92% of staff

The RMT, which is the sole union DLR workers are signed up to, confirmed the walkout comes after talks to halt the action were unsuccessful.

There are 644 Keolis Amey Docklands employees signed up to the RMT - 315 of these voted for action.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “The company should not have underestimated the anger of the workforce and KAD’s abject failure to address these issues which left us with no option but to ballot for action and that ballot registered a massive 92% in favour.

“Despite strenuous efforts by RMT negotiators in talks since the ballot was confirmed the company have dug their heels in and have failed to make progress in a number of key areas at the heart of the dispute. As a result RMT has no option but to confirm 48 hours of strike action for next week. The union remains available for further talks.”

Kevin Thomas, managing director of Keolis Amey Docklands, said: “We have held a number of meetings with RMT representatives in recent weeks, and it is clear that all of the issues they have raised can be resolved, or, in some cases, removed from the dispute and managed through the established appropriate channels.

“It is extremely frustrating that RMT appear intent on proceeding with strike action rather than seeking resolution to the issues. Such action will cause unnecessary disruption for our passengers, which I believe is avoidable.

“As always, we continue to seek meaningful and reasonable discussion with the union, with a view to achieving resolution and preventing disruption for our passengers.”

Although the rail network runs automatically, it needs “captains” to ensure each train runs safely.

A DLR spokeswoman added: "We have not yet confirmed details of any DLR services during strike action; this work is ongoing at present.

"Given that the RMT have balloted employees from departments across the whole business, the services we are able to run are wholly dependent on the number of trained, competent employees that come in to work during the industrial action.

"Passengers are advised to use alternative routes and to check tfl.gov.uk/dlr before they travel for the latest information. We do apologise to passengers for this disruption to their journeys."